I’m genuinely trying to understand the new, stricter permanent residence rules, but it really feels like everyone benefits except people who completed a Bachelor’s degree at a university of applied sciences (AMK).

From what I understand, if you completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at a traditional university (yliopisto), you can apply for permanent residence without meeting the normal years of residence requirement. You don’t need Finnish at B1 level or to pass the YKI B1 test; completing 15 credits of Finnish language studies is enough.

But if you completed your degree at an AMK, the situation is completely different. You might be able to apply after four years only if you’ve earned €40,000 in taxable income in recent years, which is completely unrealistic for most graduates. Otherwise, you’re expected to pass a YKI C1 exam, or follow the standard route: wait six years and still pass YKI B1.

What makes this even more confusing is that many AMK graduates will actually become eligible for Finnish citizenship before they qualify for permanent residence, which makes no logical sense at all.

Why is the system being designed this way? Why is it made easier for university students while being significantly harder for AMK students, even though both degrees require tuition fees, years of study, and working alongside studies? It really feels like AMK graduates are being unfairly penalized for choosing a more practical, work-oriented education path.

Links: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/1410869/stricter-conditions-for-permanent-residence-permits-as-of-8-january

https://migri.fi/en/-/legislative-amendments-concerning-permanent-residence-permits-to-enter-into-force-in-january-1

by Tuskiguy

8 comments

  1. While I do think it’s unfair I can kinda understand their logic here: there are almost twice as many AMK and they are cheaper and easier to get into

    But degree wise they should be equal to kandi degrees

  4. Questions like this make me wonder if people are only moving to Finland to study in order to be able to eligible for residence afterwards.

    That sounds like exploiting a loophole to me. Does it sound like that to anyone else?

  5. AMKs used to be semi vocational, I would argue that they still are in practice, no matter what certificate they officially offer these days.

    universities are universities, with all the advantages those courses bring.

    AMK are for people who know a vocation they want to train into.

  6. I’m so confused about getting PR via doing a degree in Finland. It seems like if you completed a degree in Finland (but not from a UAS), you can get a PR without having a job or any income requirements or any Finnish proficiency? That seems too good to be true.

  7. I think the reason is that the culture holds academics & research in much higher esteem compared to vocational professions or studies. Finland is a relatively conservative and culturally homogeneous country where a lot of the decision-making is “feel” based as opposed to being based on neutral evaluation of facts.

  8. There is generally a difference in quality, especially in the programs that cater fully to foreigners. Some of those sadly deserve the name of a degree mill. Though how much of this is on purpose and how much by accident from the government, who knows.

    Finland wouldn’t be the first country, where you could get citizenship easier than PR, in any case.

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